The Philistines gathered for an attack on
Israel. Israel went out to engage them in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines
camped at Aphek.

The Philistines then drew up in battle
formation against Israel. After a fierce struggle Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who slew
about four thousand men on the battlefield.

When the
troops retired to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD permitted us to be defeated
today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the LORD from Shiloh that it may go into battle
among us and save us from the grasp of our enemies."

So
the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned upon
the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of God.

When the ark of the LORD arrived in the camp, all Israel shouted so
loudly that the earth resounded.

The Philistines,
hearing the noise of shouting, asked, "What can this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?"
On learning that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp,

the Philistines were frightened. They said, "Gods have come to their camp." They said
also, "Woe to us! This has never happened before.

Woe
to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the
Egyptians with various plagues and with pestilence.

Take courage and be manly, Philistines; otherwise you will become slaves to the Hebrews,
as they were your slaves. So fight manfully!"

The
Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; every man fled to his own tent. It was a disastrous
defeat, in which Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.

The ark of God was captured, and Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were among the
dead.

Psalms
44(43):10-11.14-15.24-25.

But now you have
rejected and disgraced us; you do not march out with our armies.

You make us retreat before the foe; those who hate us plunder us at will.

You make us the reproach of our neighbors, the mockery and scorn of
those around us.

You make us a byword among the
nations; the peoples shake their heads at us.

Awake! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Rise up! Do
not reject us forever!

Why do you hide your face; why
forget our pain and misery?

Holy
Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 1:40-45.

A
leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, «If you wish, you can make me
clean.»

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean."

The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.

Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.

Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show
yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for
them."

The man went away and began to publicize the
whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town
openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from
everywhere.

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